I’m very glad we went for lunch and not dinner—I was a little embarrassed how I dressed. I should’ve worn real pants and a tucked in shirt, you’ll see what I mean in a minute.
The lunch menu was very limited, which I didn’t mind but was surprised it contained no sandwiches or pasta dishes. (All it showed was pork chops & seafood.) But the food was piping hot and delicious, and the wait-staff were excellent. There were 16 of us, and they made each of us feel like VIPs.
When I heard Colleen was going, I asked if she’d take a picture with me; she’s one of the ladies who manage the center, and I love her. She just returned from a ski trip in Montana, and next month is going to Italy!
You didn’t think I’d post a lunch outing without a photo of Evvie, did you? Here she is, looking cute as a button. She is quite literally a ray of sunshine in my life.
I didn’t get a pic of my boy Dennis (the one who drinks & chain smokes) but here’s Deb showing interest in Dennis’ explanation of a deconstructed Bloody Mary. “Do you really get all those vegetables in one glass, Dennis? Great!”
Remember Pearl? This was our first lunch together in well over a year. (I got long covid in 2024, she got shingles.) I’ve only seen her once in 14 months, and we even live in the same apt building—on the same floor.
Here’s Deb’s entree, a salmon dish with sauce, capers & shrimp, and broccoli on the side.
And here was my entree—broiled scrod with buttered crumbs, garlic & lemon, with a creamy dill sauce and fried potatoes. It was cooked to perfection.
I’d like to say this: don’t rely on Yelp reviews to decide where you want to go. The night before our outing, I read several that talked about how expensive it was to eat at Rico’s. Maybe they were referring to dinner, but my meal included a salad, basket of rolls, two beverages & entree and it only came to $22.63.
In fact, every ticket at our table was less than $23.00 each. I think people are paying close to that for McDonald’s!
Ooooh. I have never heard of a fish sauce with dill in it. Until I looked it up and realized I'd seen it paired with salmon before, but it looks dead easy to make. Yummo. Thanks for the inspiration, Doug. As always, I'm glad you found your tribe! You've come a long way from your solitary days.
ReplyDeleteThank you Debby. I don't think Debs salmon had Dill in the sauce, the dill was in the cold creamy stuff that came with my scrod. Sort of like a homemade tartar sauce. Anyway, I must admit I care about these people a lot but I am still the lone Wolf. 😄
ReplyDeleteThe Food Porn looks delicious and beautifully presented. Having it with such good Friends just amplifies the experience. But I do understand the Lone Wolf thing, as I don't do group outings much myself either.
ReplyDeleteHaha thanks very much Bohemian. We think alike. 🙂👍
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of scrod and will have to google it. The meals look delicious and were certainly reasonably priced. I'm so glad you got out with your buddies, Doug!
ReplyDeleteThanks Margaret! I do love those people... that's interesting you never heard of scrod, I think it's like a version of cod (very mild whitefish) I need to google that too, haha. It was really tasty though, fluffy & steaming hot. I wolfed it down. "^)
DeleteHi Doug, wow, looks like a very nice restaurant! Glad you were able to make the trip. Evvie looks gorgeous as always as do the other ladies. Very reasonable prices for a lunch! I too understand the lone wolf thing. Chuck gets me when I say “It is too peopley here!” Take care Doug!❤️
ReplyDeleteRobin
Hahaha! Robin, we are kinfolk because I loved the "too peoply" line--anyway, thank you and very nice what you said about the ladies. They really are an attractive bunch, aren't they. I am a lucky guy. :^)
DeleteGreat Photos! A wonderful outing with your favorite ladies! Evvie looks as sweet as pie! You look like a casual companion and have an acceptable outfit as it isn't PJ's, which would be fine if you took a detour to Walmart on the journey home! Great to see you out on one of your good days! Love D
ReplyDeleteHooray, I was hoping I'd hear from you--thanks Diana! Well you're certainly right about Evvie, and thanks so much for your clothing feedback. (I almost didn't post this one because of how I dressed.) Well, I am looking forward to this summer and us getting together for some adventures! :^)
DeleteThe food really does look good, Dug... as well as the company. I would find it a bit much for lunch (food, not price)... but dinner would be great. And you all looked dressed fine. No one really dresses up much unless it's something really special - at least that's what I seem to see around here. And it's good to try new places.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm so sorry Pearl had Shingles... that's an awful uncomfortable ailment. Do you know if she had gotten the Shingles vaccines?
Rian, thanks very much for what you said here--I always appreciate your feedback. As a matter of fac, an old friend emailed me awhile ago and said Rico's dinner portions are a lot more than this, food wise so I can't imagine. I was the only one at my table that didn't take home a doggy bag. As for poor Pearl, it's my understanding she didn't have the vaccines, did you? I got both of mine the summer of 2020.
DeleteI had gotten the old single Shingles shot back in 2014 or 15... so when I actually got a mild case of Shingles around 2020, it wasn't bad at all - small area on my arm (except for having to take these HUGE pills - I have trouble swallowing pills - had to cut these in half and then they nearly choked me to death). But then I did get the Shingrix vaccines in 2022.
DeleteI'm glad you got the new & improved vaccines Rian--I just wish someone could tell me how long it's supposed to be effective for.
DeleteI dress in a similar manner to the way you do, except I wear jeans rather than trackie daks (that’s Oz talk). I wear the black ones if the restaurant is more upmarket.
ReplyDeleteI only go out for lunch these days. I’m usually not all that hungry around dinner time. I assume that’s another thing about getting old.
Evvie sure is cute. Looks rather stylish there.
As you know, I’m a big fan of fish and have it quite often (several times a week). The two fish dishes looked particularly delish. Simply cooked, the way they should be.
I can’t remember when I got out of a restaurant paying just $23.00, and I’m not including a bottle of wine in that. Any wine I choose generally costs more than the food.
Thanks for sharing Peter, I appreciate the dress camaraderie--the older I get, the more I want to be comfortable. And that was very nice what you said about Evvie, she is a stylish gal :-) I was honestly thinking about you yesterday, as I know you folks down under eat a lot more fish than we do. I should've gotten a copy of that menu. (They print out a new one everyday.) This place did have a huge wine list, you would've liked it.
DeleteA wonderful outing with good friends! Prices seemed quite reasonable to me. And I like a smaller menu. Easier to decide on. As for your attire -- comfortably neat and clean topped with a warm, smiling face. Perfect. Colleen and Evvie looked especially stylish. Looks like a good time was had by all. Thanks for the report. I kind of feel like I was there. (I ordered what you did!)
ReplyDeleteFlorence, you just made my evening--thank you my friend! 🙂🙂
DeleteA beautiful group. And all you need with that shirt is a jacket.
ReplyDeleteThank you Joanne, much appreciated. And that jacket suggestion is a good idea. 👍🙂
DeleteWow! That restaurant looks fabulous and the meals look amazing! I am a huge seafood fan and my mouth is watering. I am so glad you were able to go and you looked just fine. What lovely friends you have! I am glad they could all make it too. I think the meal seemed very reasonably priced. Perhaps prices are higher at dinner time. I laugh when people complain about prices. I want to say an egg mcmuffin is almost $6 around here. Crazy.
ReplyDeleteI am just so glad you were able to go out with the senior center. Hopefully that will continue with setbacks further and further apart. I had a bad case of shingles in my late 50's. I thought you had to be in your 60's to get the vaccine. My doctor did recommend the original shingles vaccine after my bout - to lessen any future outbreaks. My insurance barely covered it and I think it was almost $300. I felt it was worth it. Then they came out with the new and improved shinglex. I put off getting it since I was mad about getting the other. I decided that now that I am old and Medicare pays for it and the fact our new guy doesn't support vaccines, the time is now. We got our first shot in November and the second in December. Zero side effects. My understanding is that I am good to go for life now. But I think they told us that with the first one.
Thanks so much Miss Merry! Now I wish I'd gotten more pics of the food--someone behind me ordered portabello mushrooms stuffed with salmon that looked really good. And I do think Rico's dinner menu prices are a lot higher. This is very interesting, your shingles vaccine story. I'm sorry you had to go thru that! But I didn't have to wait until my 60s, I got my 2 dose of Shingrix the summer of 2020, when I was 59. And I didn't have to pay a penny as it was considered preventative care.
DeleteI like the looks of this place—and as I think I’ve said before I’m really not a “restaurant person”. Much prefer eating at home. Your fish looks delish. I would have ordered brocolli (like Deb). Now, about the clothes; as another “man of a certain age”, I’m going to be honest. Not your best choice. Yes, you look fine—just not for this occasion. I’ve always been a stickler for dressing well and appropriately. And nice dressy/casual slacks and belt with a button up long sleeved shirt are not uncomfortable. In fact, I find them MUCH more comfortable than some other things such as heavy denim jeans that we see men wearing ALL the time. I suspect you agree as your instincts were telling you the same. Always next time, my friend! 😉
ReplyDeleteHi Don! Thanks very much for your honesty here. Before I retired in 2015, my closet was full of better clothes, it was all I wore. I've just gotten lazier in my later years, I admit. I like being comfortable but I don't like looking sloppy either--I need to figure out what I still have and does it still fit. Thanks again my friend! :^)
DeletePerhaps you could get some new duds to mix with what you already have so you would be ready in a moment's notice to go out to lunch. It is nice to dress up for these events, not wear sweats and a t-shirt, even though that seems to be a more popular look with some older people. And, the ladies always notice the well-dressed man.
DeleteThanks dkzody, I do have better clothes--I just wasn't feeling very motivated that day to wear them. To be honest, I'm not interested in getting noticed more from the ladies. :-)
DeleteI hope you didn't think I meant "noticed" to be in any kind of romantic sense. It's just that they appreciate it when people make the effort.when going out with them. It shows attention to detail and caring about how one presents oneself in public when with others. I always think about that when going out with a group of people, male or female.
DeleteThanks dkzody, to be honest I don't think anyone there even noticed what I was wearing. Most of them are a lot older than me and just wanted to go someplace and have a nice lunch. But if I could go back & do it over again, I might've worn something different to suit myself. :^)
DeleteEverything is getting way expensive, but I don't eat out much and since my fall, I'm confined pretty much to my recliner. Baby steps.
ReplyDeleteDJan I just got home from the grocery store 15 minutes ago, I know what you mean. (This restaurant seemed very fair priced in comparison.) You're in my thoughts you know, I pray you make a speedy & full recovery.
DeleteI like that nice clear red on you, very becoming. And really, looking neat and clean and being well behaved (I'm guessing....) seems fine for a lunch outing!
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to participate!
Ceci
Thank you very much Ceci! For the record, that red shirt did have buttons at the top so it was more than a t-shirt. And I was well behaved. ☺️
DeleteGreat friends and great food
ReplyDeleteBoth gifts in life and not to be taken for granted
Glad you had a really good trip out - and those prices sound amazing !
Siobhan x
Thanks Siobhan, much appreciated. And you're right about those prices. Maybe because it was family owned. I'd love to go back. 🙂
DeleteYour lunch looks delicious, I'm a big fan of fish and don't have a chance to eat it very often. I'm busy converting the price to Canadian dollars...that would hurt!
ReplyDeleteThanks Maebeme... I'm the same as you, a big fan of fish but don't get to eat it often. I sure am sorry about the Canadian conversion, earlier tonight I was watching a news documentary about the rising prices of everything in Canada. I sure hope they get things under control there.
DeleteI'm in Yuma at the moment, and I'm finding that while fruit and veg prices are lower than home, the price of meat, eggs, and dairy is actually higher than we are paying. I suspect it depends on what area of the country one lives in.
DeleteThanks Maebeme--boy you get around. :-) Well, I'd be curious to see what people ar paying across the US. I'm sure we're still cheaper than Hawaii, at least.
DeleteYour outings look like fun!
ReplyDeleteBeth
Thank you Beth, I just wish we had more of these restaurant ones. The next trip is to the thrift store, not my cup of tea. :^)
DeleteUgh!
DeleteIncredible! I love it. Seafood is my favorite protein, so your dish and Deb’s really appeal to me. There is a Rico’s here in Hawaii, but I don’t care for the menu. Gigi Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gigi, I miss your own restaurant reviews. I hope we see one again someday soon.
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